The present invention relates to safety restraints adapted to be worn by children and specifically relates to a toy restraint which is designed to be worn by dolls to encourage the use of such restraints by children.
In my copending application entitled CHILD SAFETY RESTRAINT, filed Nov. 2, 1990 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,588, I disclosed a device to be worn by children in vehicles. Such a safety restraint is used for children who have outgrown conventional "car seats" and who are not large enough to wear conventional vehicle shoulder belts. The device basically includes a rigid plate having a first pair of slots dimensioned to accommodate the vehicle lap and/or shoulder belts, and also a second set of slots dimensioned to accommodate the straps of a harness. The plate is covered by foam padding for the comfort and protection of the wearer. A harness having shoulder and crotch straps is slidably engaged in the plate and includes a buckle system for securing the shoulder straps and the crotch strap to each other in front of the child.
When the plate is fastened to the vehicle seat through the belt and/or shoulder straps, the child may be buckled into the harness. In this manner, should the vehicle be subject to sudden deceleration or impact, the child wearing my restraint is protected from injury due to the so-called "envelope effect", where the child's head plunges forward and touches his knees.
In view of the natural resistance of children to voluntarily subject themselves to a confining situation, there is a need for a way to help convince and reassure children that the wearing of such a safety restraint is not unpleasant. There is also a need for a way to encourage children to use the restraint.